In 2023, SunCoast Blood Centers implemented the FDA’s latest final guidance FDA Finalizes Move to Recommend Individual Risk Assessment to Determine Eligibility for Blood Donations | FDA, which requires an individual donor assessment for all blood donors, regardless of gender or sexual orientation. As a result, the previous FDA eligibility criteria based on sexual orientation were removed. SunCoast Blood Centers celebrates this significant step forward while recognizing the importance of further efforts to promote inclusivity in donating blood.
SunCoast Blood Centers values LGBTQ+ inclusivity.
- Operate with INTEGRITY
- COMMIT to each other and our community
- EXCEED the expectations of those we serve
- EMBRACE innovation
Through these values, SunCoast Blood Centers strives to create a supportive and affirming environment, ensuring that everyone feels welcomed and respected.
Inclusive Health Screening and Gender-Neutral Risk Assessment Policies and Procedures
- Donor Eligibility: Every blood donor must meet FDA criteria for each donation. These rules apply to all U.S. blood organizations. Before donating, potential donors answer health history questions. The criteria and questions ensure a safe blood collection process for both donors and recipients. To learn more, visit our Blood Donor Eligibility Guide. FAQs – SunCoast Blood Centers
- Health Screening: SunCoast Blood Centers screens all potential donors equally, using an FDA-approved questionnaire to assess an individual’s health history. Questions cover past and present behavior risks like travel, medication, and sexual activity. Sexual activity questions now focus on specific behaviors, not orientation, using terms like “sexual contact” and “sex” for any activity (vaginal, oral, or anal), regardless of condom use.
- Individual Risk Assessment: All donors, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, answer the same gender-neutral questions about sexual behavior to assess individual risk factors. Anyone who has had a new sexual partner or multiple sexual partners will be further evaluated and may be asked to wait 3 months from their last sexual contact to donate blood.
- HIV Preventative Medications (PrEP/PEP)If you’ve used HIV prevention drugs (PrEP or PEP), wait three months from the last oral dose and two years from the last injection before donating blood. This waiting period is necessary because these drugs might affect tests for HIV, potentially delaying the detection of infection or antibody production.
